Fort Worth, Mademoiselle

It boggles the mind when you think about the ways that American cinema is different from its European counterpart. Actually, counterpart may be too strong a word, as film produced in this country is by and large a completely different being than in most other places in the world, Bollywood eye-candy notwithstanding. Truly, film in the United States is generally little more than a commodity; a promotional tool; a celebration where technology trumps human experience at every turn. Sure, there are exceptions to this rule, but the vast majority of our movie money goes to spectacle over story. Certainly, there isn't a chance in hell that Mademoiselle Chambon would have made it to production in this country. The lovely, understated French film spends its hour and 41 minutes looking at a potential love affair and its potential consequences. It's a deep character piece about the choices we make and the effects those choices have on everyone around us. This is the kind of film that would give Michael Bay a stroke. Stéphane Brizé's simple, quiet film is packed with nuanced acting , and though dialogue is sparse, it's fraught with thought-provoking complexity . See it as part of the Magnolia at the Modern series at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St., at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday., and noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8.50, $6.50 for members. Visit themodern.org/magnolia.
Dec. 17-19, 2010